Colombian Contractors in Sudan Allegedly Recruited by UK-Registered Companies

Tucked away close to a gleaming soccer ground of Tottenham Hotspur in London lies a squat, unremarkable block of flats. Behind its ordinary beige brickwork exists a grim secret: a small flat connected to murderous crimes unfolding a vast distance to the south.

According to British official documents, this apartment in the capital is connected to a transnational web of companies involved in the mass recruitment of fighters to combat in Sudan alongside militias accused of myriad atrocities and genocide.

Hundreds of Ex- South American Soldiers Recruited

Hundreds of ex-soldiers from Colombia have been recruited to serve with Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a armed faction blamed for mass rapes, targeted killings, and the widespread murder of women and children.

Colombian mercenaries were key participants in the RSF's capture of the south-western Sudanese city of El Fasher in late October, which triggered a killing frenzy that experts believe has cost at least 60,000 lives.

While accounts of violence increase, links have been identified between the fighters hired to overrun El Fasher and addresses in the city of London.

London Flat Connected to Sanctioned Firm

The apartment in Tottenham is listed to a corporation named Zeuz Global, set up by two people identified and penalized last week by the US treasury for recruiting Colombian mercenaries to fight for the RSF.

Both figures – Colombian nationals in their 50s – are described in documents at the UK company registry as resident in Britain.

The firm is active. The following day the US treasury imposed restrictions on those running the recruitment network, Zeuz Global abruptly moved its official location to the very heart of London. Its updated address corresponds to one luxury accommodation in a central district.

The establishments in question stated they had no link to Zeuz Global and were unaware why the company had used their postcodes.

"It is of major concern that the primary figures the American authorities states are directing this mercenary supply have been able to set up a UK company based from a flat in the capital," stated an expert, a analyst and former member of a United Nations group on Sudan.

Questions Raised Over British Firm Checks

Analysts argue the saga highlights concerns over how individuals openly censured by the US for "contributing to the conflict in Sudan" were able to apparently establish and operate a firm in the UK capital.

The British foreign secretary has condemned the RSF for "organized murder, torture and sexual violence" following the group’s seizure of El Fasher. The RSF has been charged by the US with acts of genocide.

When questioned about Zeuz Global, the registry did not respond on whether it had knowledge of the firm’s activities or confirm the location of the penalized people.

Contacting Zeuz proved unsuccessful; its website, set up in May, was marked as "being built" with no contact details.

Network Led by Retired Officer

Per the American authorities, the figure at the heart of the Colombian recruiting network for the RSF is a dual Colombian-Italian national and retired Colombian military officer located in the Gulf state.

The US alleges this individual of playing a central role in hiring former Colombian soldiers to be sent to Sudan using a Bogotá-based recruitment firm. His wife was also sanctioned for owning and managing the firm.

Another dual national was also sanctioned for managing a company accused of processing money and salaries for the operation employing the mercenaries.

"During 2024 and 2025, companies in America associated with this individual engaged in many bank transactions, amounting to millions of US dollars," the US treasury statement read.

Firm Establishment and Intensifying Conflict

In April of this year, the penalized figures registered a company in north London called ODP8 Ltd – later renamed Zeuz Global.

Three days later, the RSF assaulted the Zamzam camp for displaced people, killing over 1,500 civilians. After its seizure, the site was transferred to Colombian mercenaries, who began planning for attacking El Fasher.

The penalized people are listed in official UK documents as owning "starting shares" in the company, with one identified as a person of "significant control".

Both describe the UK as their "country of residence".

Impact on the Conflict and Wider Issues

The hiring of the Colombians has had a significant effect on the course of the conflict, analysts say. These fighters have allegedly trained children to be combatants, as well as acting as marksmen, infantrymen, instructors, and operators for unmanned aircraft.

These aircraft were instrumental in the fall of El Fasher and during fighting in other regions.

"The war in Sudan is a hi-tech one, with precision munitions and remote aircraft causing daily fatalities," said the analyst. "These systems require outside assistance to operate. We know that the Colombian mercenary operation has been a significant part of this outside support."

He noted that the involvement of sanctioned individuals in a London firm underlined broader concerns over the absence of strict vetting when firms are established.

"Owning a UK company like this is a passport for criminals to do business with respectable entities. It's still harder to join a gym in most cases than to set up a UK company," he stated.

Official Reaction and Ongoing Allegations

A government source stated that the recent introduction of "compulsory ID checks" for company directors would provide greater assurance about who was setting up and running UK companies.

The role of the South Americans in Sudan first emerged last year, leading to an expression of regret from the South American nation's government.

One of the fighters recently admitted that he had trained children in Sudan and seen combat in El Fasher.

The United Arab Emirates, long accused of arming the RSF, has also been linked to the hiring of the contractors. A report alleged that UAE nationals supplying fighters to the RSF were linked to a senior UAE government official. The UAE has repeatedly rejected these allegations.

A British government spokesperson said: "The UK is calling for an halt to violence, the protection of non-combatants, and the removal of barriers to aid delivery."

They noted that the UK had also sanctioned RSF leaders for their role in the crimes in El Fasher.